Here it is at last. I know this one took a loooong time but I really did struggle how to do this one. In the end I just thought 'fuck it. I'm gonna do it this way and if it sucks, it's okay cause I still have plenty more seasons to do.' Besides, we all know at least a few of our chapters have to suck, right? Sorry if it's a bit long. So enjoy...
The Doctor woke up with a loud gasp in what he guessed was a tiny cupboard. He leapt to his feet and frantically started feeling the walls for a way out. Piper lay nearby, not yet having woken up. He stopped and knelt down beside her and shook her awake. "Piper? Piper! Wake up." She groaned and pushed herself up to lean on her elbows. She peered around blearily and allowed him to help her up. He went back to pushing against the walls and unexpectedly found a door and fell through it, landing on his stomach. He found himself in a brightly coloured room with drawings on the walls and a modern style chair.
"What the hell?" Piper muttered.
A woman with blonde hair tied up in high bunches then wrapped and twisted into buns, ran over to them. "Oh my God! I don't believe it. Why'd they put you in there? They never said you were coming!"
The Doctor tried to pull himself up, feeling very disorientated. "But what happened? I was..."
The woman helped him to his feet. "Careful now, oh!" His legs gave out and he fell flat on his face again. "Oh! Mind yourself! That's the transmat, it scrambles your head. I was sick for days. You all right? So, what's your name then, sweetheart?"
"The Doctor, I think," he replied groggily. "And this is Piper. I was er...I don't know. What happened? How...?" He looked to the woman for help.
"You got chosen." She told him eagerly.
"What?"
The Doctor just frowned, not understanding what she meant. "Chosen for what?"
"You're a house mate. You're in the house! Both of you. Isn't that brilliant?" She laughed happily.
Piper pulled a face and shook her head. "No, not really."
A man that had been watching them spoke up suddenly. "That's not fair." He stood next to a dark skinned woman. "We've got eviction in five minutes! I've been here for all nine weeks, I've followed the rules, I haven't had a single warning and then they come swanning in."
She turned to him and said, "If they keep changing the rules, I'm gonna protest, I am. You just watch me, I'm...I'm gonna paint the walls."
Piper snorted. Paint the walls? Wow, so creative. Not. What good would painting the walls do? She turned to the Doctor but he wasn't listening to them. He was too busy looking around at the room in amusement. A camera that was fixed to the ceiling turned slowly to look in their direction.
Would the Doctor and Piper please come to the Diary Room?
A silver door with an eye on the side waited for him. He walked over to the door, opened it and turned to Piper with a small, goofy grin on his face. He held out his hand for her to take and they stepped inside. The door closed behind them and they found themselves in a room with a big red comfy chair and plonked himself down. He pulled her onto his lap. Piper blushed at this move, not having expected it but didn't protest. There was only one chair so what the hell? You are live on channel forty-four-thousand. Please do not swear.
The Doctor blinked then raised his eyebrows. "You have got to be kidding me."
Rose groaned as she woke up on a cold, hard floor of a dark room. She stretched her arms and looked up to see a dark-skinned man bending over her. "What 'appened?"
"It's all right. It's the transmat. Does your head in. Get a bit of amnesia. What's your name?"
She paused for a second as if trying to remember her own name. "Rose. But...where's the Doctor?"
"Just remember, do what the android says. Don't provoke it. The android's word is law."
Rose didn't understand what he was talking about. "What do you mean, android? Like a robot?" He gave her an odd look but a woman shouting out instruction prevented him from saying anything else.
"Positions, everyone! Thank you!"
He helped her up, allowing her to lean against him as they walked. "Come on, hurry up. Steady, steady."
"I was travelling, with the Doctor and a man called Captain Jack and another girl called Piper. They wouldn't just leave me." She said, beginning to sound scared. She was alone with no idea where she was or what was going on. And she didn't like it.
"That's enough chat. Positions! Final call! Good luck!"
"But I'm not supposed to be here." Rose protested, becoming more panicked by the second.
"It says 'Rose' on the podium. Come on." He jumped up and stood behind his own name, gesturing her to do the same.
To her surprise, he was right. She hesitantly too her place next to him, looking at her surroundings. "Hold on, I must be going mad. It can't be. This looks like the-"
"Android activated!" An android's head shot up and Rose stared at it wide-eyed.
"Oh, my God, the android. The Anne...droid."
Welcome to The Weakest Link!
Jack awoke in a white, clinical room with two female robots. They had their backs to him as he sat up, trying to brush off the disorientation he felt. They were talking about him. "Sorry, but, nice to meet you, ladies, but where exactly am I?"
"We're giving you a brand new image," one of them said.
"Oh, hold on, I was with the Doctor-" he stopped at sat up with a start, suddenly realizing what she said. "Why, is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"It's all very twentieth century. Where did you get that denim?"
"A little place in Cardiff. It was called the Top Shop."
"Ah! Design classic."
"But we're going to have to find you some new colors. Maybe get rid of that 'Oklahoma Farm Boy' thing you've got going on."
"Just stand still and let the Defabricator work its magic."
Jack stood up and faced them, hands on his hips. "What's a defabricator?" A beam shot out suddenly, hitting his clothes and making them disappear. "Okay. Defabricator. Does exactly what it says on the tin. Am I naked in front of millions of viewers?"
"Absolutely!" They cried in usion.
Jack gave them a smug smile. "Ladies, your viewing figures just went up."
The Doctor was put out when he tried and failed to open a door with his sonic screwdriver. "I can't open it." Piper was shocked. The sonic screwdriver opened anything so what was stopping it?
"It's got a deadlock seal, ever since Big Brother five hundred and four when they all walked out. You must remember that."
"What about this?" He pointed to a mirror.
"Oh, that's exoglass. You'd need a nuclear bomb to get through."
"Don't tempt me." He muttered.
"So, what do we do if you can't get us out of here, Doctor?" Piper piped up suddenly.
"I'm working on it," he promised her. She nodded at him, trust in her eyes.
"I know you're not supposed to talk about the outside world, but you must've been watching. Do people like me? Lynda. Lynda with a Y, not Linda with an I. She got forcibly evicted because she damaged the camera. Am I popular?" She lowered her voice.
"I don't remember," he lied a little awkwardly.
Lynda's face fell, causing him to feel guilty. "Oh, but does that mean I'm nothing? Some people get this far just because they're insignificant. Doesn't anybody notice me?"
"No, you're, you're nice. You're sweet. Everybody thinks you're sweet," he corrected his earlier words, trying to make amends for what he'd said before.
Lynda immediately brightened up. "Oh, is that right? Is that what I am? Oh, no one's ever told me that before. Am I sweet? Really?"
"Yeah. Dead sweet."
"Thank you." She giggled shyly, reminding Piper of a schoolgirl with a crush.
"Is now really the time for this?" Piper demanded impatiently. "Rose is still out there and so is Jack."
The Doctor nodded, turning serious again. "It's a wall. Isn't there supposed to be a garden out there or something?"
"Don't be daft. No one's got a garden anymore. Who's got a garden?" She gasped. "Don't tell me you've got a garden."
"No, I've just got the Tardis." They both spun around at this. "I remember now."
"That's the amnesia! So what happened? Where did they get you?"
"We'd just left Raxacoricofallapatorius. Then we went to Kyoto. That's right, Japan in 1336, and we only just escaped. We were together, we were laughing, and then...there was this light. This white light coming through the walls, and then...we woke up here." Piper nodded in agreement, slowly remembering the events before they'd woken up here. Wherever here was.
"Yeah, that's the transmat beam. That's how they pick the housemates."
"Oh, Lynda with a Y. Sweet little Lynda. It's worse than that. I'm not just a passing traveler. No stupid little transmat gets inside my ship. That beam was fifteen million times more powerful, which means this isn't just a game. There's something else going on," his voice was dark and only Piper knew why. No one and nothing could get into the Tardis much less kidnap them from inside. The Doctor was right; there was something else going on. The Doctor turned to what she assumed was a camera and said warningly, "Well, here's the latest update from the Big Brother house. I'm getting out. I'm going to find my friends, and then I'm going to find you."
..."Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen. Thank you, people. Transmitting in twelve, eleven, ten..."
"But I need to find the Doc-" Rose started but was cut off rudely.
"Just shut up and play the game," the man she now knew as Roderick, hushed rudely.
"Seven. six..."
Rose bit her lip. "All right, then. What the hell. I'm going to play to win!"
"Three, and cue!"
Let's play The Weakest Link. Start the clock. Agorax, the name of which basic food stuff is an anagram of the word 'beard'?
"Bread."
Correct. Fitch in the Pan Traffic Calendar, which month comes after Hoob?
"Is it Clavadoe?" A woman answered a little hesitantly.
No, Pandoff. Rose, in maths, what is 258 minus 158?
"One hundred!" Rose answered quickly.
Correct. Rodrick-
"Bank."
Which letter of the alphabet appears in the word dangle but not in the word gland?
"E?"
Correct. Colleen, in social security, what D is the name of the payment given to Martian Drones?
"Default," another young woman answered.
Correct. Broff, the Great Cobalt Pyramid is built on the remains of which famous Old Earth Institute?
A young man with dark hair answered. "Erm...Touchdown?"
No, Torchwood. Agorax, in language, all five examples of which type of letter appear in the word facetious?
"Vowels."
Correct. Fitch, in biology, which blood cells contain iron? Red or white?
"White."
No, red. Rose, in the holovid series 'Jupiter Rising', the Grexnik is married to whom?...
"Doctor, they said all the housemates must gather on the sofa. You've got to."
"I'm busy getting out, thanks," Piper snapped out in annoyance. as more worried about Rose and Jack if she were being honest and thse people moaning about being punished on a stupid game only worsened her mood.
"But if you don't obey, then all the housemates get punished," Lynda protested. Piper was sorely tempted to tell the girl where to shove it but refrained.
The Doctor huffed but obeyed. "Well, maybe we'll be voted out, then."
"How stupid are you? You've only just joined, you're not eligible."
"Don't try anything clever or we all get it in the neck."
"I don't take orders from strangers," Piper sneered. Lynda ignored her, her attention focused on the TV screen.
Big Brother House, this is Davina Droid. Crosbie, Lynda and Strood, you have all been nominated for eviction. And the eighth person to be evicted from the Big Brother House is...Crosbie!
Both Piper and the Doctor fell back on the sofa, bored. "I'm sorry! Oh, I'm sorry! Sorry!" Lynda cried.
"Oh, it should've been me. Oh, that's not fair, Crosbie love."
Crosbie, you have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you.
"I won't forget you." Lynda promised tearfully.
"I'm sorry I stole your soap."
"I don't mind, honestly."
"Thanks for the food. You're a smashing cook. Bless you."
Crosbie, please leave the Big Brother House.
"Bye, then. Bye, Lynda."
"Bye." Both she and Lynda hugged one final time then Crosbie stepped through the door. The door closed behind her.
"I don't believe it. Oh, Crosbie."
"Oh, come on!" Piper muttered darkly to herself. Her patience was wearing thin with everything.
"It's only a game show. She'll make a fortune on the outside. Sell her story, release a record, fitness video, all of that. she'll be laughing."
"What do you mean, on the outside?"
The Doctor leaned forward again momentarily. "What are they waiting for? Why don't they just let her go?"
"Stop it, it's not funny."
Piper turned to give the blonde a harsh glare but the look of sorrow on the girl's face made her soften slightly.
Eviction in five, four, three, two, one.
A beam shot down, hitting Crosbie, who disappeared. "What was that?" The Doctor asked after a few moments of silence.
"Disintegrator beam." Strood replied sadly.
Piper and the Doctor turned to look at them, identical looks of shock on their faces. "She's been evicted. From life."
The Doctor jumped up angrily. "Are you insane? You just step right into the disintegrator? Is it that important, getting your face on the telly? Is it worth dying for?!"
"You're talking like we've got a choice!"
"But I thought you had to apply." Same here, Piper thought.
"Don't be so stupid. That's how they played it centuries back."
"You get chosen whether you like it or not. Everyone on Earth is a potential contestant. The transmat beam picks you out at random. And it's non stop. There are sixty Big Brother houses running all at once!"
The Doctor was horrified. "How many? Sixty?" Oh my God! Rose is out there!
"They've had to cut back. It's not what it was." The man sounded dejected at this. Piper looked at him in disgust, as did the Doctor.
"It's a charnel house! What about the winners? What do they get?"
"They get to live."
"Is that it?"
Lynda was left stunned at the question. "Well, isn't that enough?"
"We need to get out of here now!" Piper snapped.
The Doctor seemed to realize where her thoughts were and his eyes darkened. "Rose is out there. She got caught in the transmat. She's a contestant. Time we got out. That other contestant, er, Linda with an I. She was forcibly evicted for what?"
"Damage to property." Lynda replied quickly.
"What, like this?" He held up his sonic screwdriver to the camera and pressed the button. The camera was destroyed in just a few sparks.
So, Rose, what do you actually do?
"I just travel about a bit. Bit of a tourist, I suppose." Rose was leaning over her podium, feeling happy and completely carefree. She'd become more relaxed during the game and was thankful for that.
Another way of saying unemployed.
"No."
Have you got a job?
Rose winced, remembering a time when she was just a mere shop girl with no life prospects. With no qualifications going for her, she didn't have much to work with. Her life had been boring and mundane, not really something she wanted to remember if she were being honest. The Doctor opened her eyes and heart to new things. "Well, not really, not anymore, but-"
Then you are unemployed. And yet, you've still got enough money to buy peroxide. Why Fitch?
Taken aback by the comments and the abrupt change of subject, Rose glanced at the other woman. "Er, I think she got a few of the questions wrong, that's all."
Oh, you'd know all about that.
Am I really getting sassed by a robot? What's with the third degree? "Well, yeah, but I can't vote for myself, so it had to be Fitch." She was shocked to see the older woman in tears. "I'm sorry, that's the game. That's how it works. I had to vote for someone."
"Let me try again. It was the lights and everything. I couldn't think."
In fact, with three answers wrong, Broff was the weakest link in that round, but it's votes that count.
"I'm sorry. Please. Oh God, help me!" She sobbed desperately. At this point, Rose was disturbed by what she was seeing. The woman was hysterical, practically begging for help and the others just looked away from her.
Fitch you are the weakest link. Goodbye!
The Android's mouth opened and a small barrel protruded out of it. A beam shot out and struck the woman. She shrieked and vanished with a puff of smoke. The gun back and Rose pulled back, having hidden her face to protect it. "And we've gone to the adverts. Back in three minutes."
"What's that? What's just happened?" She pointed to where the woman had been standing while looking to Roderick for answers.
"She was the weakest link, she gets disintegrated." Roderick replied shortly, cleaning his board. He looked up when she failed to respond and saw the blank look on her face. He rolled her eyes and repeated himself, as if addressing a dimwit, "Blasted into atoms."
Rose was horrified. "But I voted for her. Oh, my. This is sick. All of you, you're just sick! I'm not playing this."
"I'm not playing! I can't do it. I'm not. Please, somebody let me out of here." The man ran away but didn't get very far.
You are the weakest link. Goodbye.
"Don't try to escape. It's play or die," Roderick warned.
Jack jumped, pretending to take a swing. He was now dressed in white with white tennis shoes to match. He shook his head and said, "No, I'm just not getting this. It's just too safe. Too decent. And you'd never keep it clean." Jack inwardly laughed at himself. Safe? Who wanted safe when you could have fun? Safe was boring and one of the things Jack was never known for was boring. He had a taste for fun and adventure, both of which he got in the Tardis travelling with his friends.
"Stage two, ready and waiting." Zu-Zana stated.
"Bring it on, girls," he grinned.
"And now it's time for the face off!"
"What does that mean? Do I get to compete with someone else?" He asked excitedly.
"No. Like I said, face off." Where the robot's hand was, was a chainsaw. Jack stared as she started it up.
"I think you'd look good with a dog's head." The other robot held up a large pair of scissors.
"Or maybe no head at all. That would be so outrageous."
"And we could stitch your legs to the middle of your chest-"
"Nothing is too extreme. It's to die for."
Jack was not in the least bit worried about the tables turning on him. If anything, he was a bit perplexed about the situation. "Now, hold on, ladies. I don't want to have to shoot either one of you."
"But you're unarmed!"
"You're naked!"
Jack's hand went behind him and pulled out a small weapon. He pointed it at both robots warningly.
"But, that's a Compact Laser Deluxe!"
"Where were you hiding that?"
Jack opened his mouth as if to tell them but changed his mind at the last second. "You really don't want to know,"
"Give me that accessory!" One of them demanded, moving towards him. Jack pulled the trigger, shooting the head of off both robots one after the other. He then stepped over to the defabricator and began pulling it apart. After roughtly about ten minutes, Jack now had a working gun from the parts he'd taken from the defabricator.
"Compatible systems. Just align the wave signature. Attaboy! Got myself a gun. Well, ladies, the pleasure was all mine. Which is the only thing that matters in the end." He ran out to the lift and checked his wrist computer. "Two hearts, that's him. Which floor?" He got in the lift and the doors closed.
The Doctor, you've broken the House Rules. Big Brother has no choice but to evict you. You have ten seconds to make your farewells and then we're going to get you!
"That's more like it. Come on, then. Open up!" He demanded eagerly. Piper was not amused. What the hell was he thinking?!
"You're mad! It's like you want to die." Lynda called.
"I reckon he's a plant. He was only brought in to stir things up."
Piper rolled her eyes. How annoyingly stupid was this guy exactly? "Oh, shut up."
The Doctor, please leave the Big Brother house.
The door opened and the Doctor ran into the small corridor. Piper bit her lip nervously but held back, choosing to trust him. He had to have a plan, he always had a plan. "Come on then, disintegrate me! Come on, what're you waiting for?" He folded his arms, grinning like an idiot.
Lynda turned her attention on the brunette currently watching him on the monitor. "He is, he's mad. He's bonkers. Aren't you gonna stop him?"
Eviction in five, four, three, two, one.
They watched anxiously and winced when it got to 1 but at the last second, the machine powered down just like he expected. "Ah, ha! I knew it! You see, someone brought me into this game. If they'd wanted me dead, they could've transmatted me into a volcano." He faced the other side and used his sonic screwdriver. The door opened and he held out his hand to both girls. "Come with me."
"We're not allowed!"
"Stay in there, you've got a 50/50 chance of disintegration. Stay with me, I promise I'll get you out alive. Come on!" Piper was already at his side. They could see the young woman wanted to go with them but was holding herself back.
"No, I can't-I can't." She whispered nervously.
"Lynda, you're sweet. From what I've seen of your world, do you think anyone votes for sweet?" He had a point there. She reached out and allowed him to pull her along to find themselves...
"Hold on. I've been here before. This is Satellite Five. No guards. That makes a change. You'd think a big business like Satellite Five would be armed to the teeth."
"No one's called it Satellite Five in ages. It's the Game Station now. Hasn't been Satellite Five in about a hundred years."
"A hundred years exactly. It's the year 200100. I was here before, floor 139. The Satellite was broadcasting news channels back then. Had a bit of trouble upstairs. Nothing too serious. Easy. Gave them a hand, home in time for tea."
"You're just lucky we made it out of there or you'd have to answer to a few certain people back home, Doctor." Piper couldn't help but tease.
The Doctor shivered, probably remembering the slap Jackie gave him after returning them so late. "A hundred years ago? What, you were here a hundred years ago?" Lynda smiled skeptically, not really believing him.
"Yep!"
"You're looking good on it..." She trailed off, glancing at the other girl. But Piper wasn't listening so she relaxed a little.
"I moisturize." He posed.
Piper chuckled. "You think you're so clever, don't you? I doubt Cassie would be very happy if she knew you stole her line."
The Doctor raise an eyebrow. "Cassie?"
"'S what I call her. Her name is Cassandra so I shortened it," she shrugged.
"Suppose. Funny sorts of readings. All kinds of energy. The place is humming. It's weird. This goes way beyond normal transmissions. What would they need all that power for?"
"I don't know. I think we're the first ever contestants to get outside."
"I had two other friends travelling with me. They must've got caught in the same transmat. Where would they be?" This caught Piper's attention.
"I don't know. They could've been allocated anywhere. There's a hundred different games."
"What kind of games?" Piper demanded.
"Well, there's ten floors of Big Brother. There's a different House behind each of those doors. And then beyond that, there's all sorts of shows. It's non stop. There's Call My Bluff, with real guns. Countdown, where you've got thirty seconds to stop the bomb going off. Ground Force, that's a nasty one. You get turned into compost. Er, Wipeout, speaks for itself. Oh, and Stars In Their Eyes. Literally, stars in their eyes. If you don't sing, you get blinded."
"And you watch this stuff?"
"Everyone does. How come you don't?"
"Never paid for my license."
The blonde covered her mouth in shock. "Oh, my God! You get executed for that!"
"Let them try." He dared, holding up the sonic screwdriver.
"You keep saying things that don't make sense. Who are you though, Doctor, really?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Well, it does to me. I've just put my life in your hands."
"She has a point there."
"I'm just a traveler, just wandering past. Believe it or not, all I'm after is a quiet life."
"So, if we get out of here, what're you going to do? Just wander off again?" Piper knew where this was going and wasn't sure if she was happy about it or not. While it wasn't her ship nor her decision to make, she could just imagine the awkwardness between her, Rose and Lynda. It would be too much, changing the entire dynamic they had going on. She didn't think the trips would be as fun as they usually were due to the awkwardness. Try as she might, she just couldn't see it any other way. Neither seemed to notice her internal battle and she was grateful for it.
"Fast as I can."
"So, I could come with you?" Her tone was soft and tentive, like she thought he would reject her or something.
"Maybe you could." He smiled goofily.
"I wouldn't get in the way," she promised quickly. Piper smiled a little at the woman at this. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she thought. She could do with another girl to talk to besides Rose.
"I wouldn't mind if you did. Not a bad idea, Lynda with a Y. But first of all, we've got to concentrate on the getting out. And to do that, you've got to know your enemy. Who's controlling it? Who's in charge of the satellite now?"
"Hold on." She noticed a switch and ran to flick it on. The floor lit up and they stepped back. The words 'BAD WOLF COOPERATION' were written above their heads. "Your lords and masters."
The Doctor and Piper exchanged glances of surprise, uneasiness and worry.
Jack found them on the observation deck. "Hey, handsome. Good to see you? Any sign of Rose?" The Doctor, Piper and Lynda were next to some kind of control panel with the Doctor trying to locate Rose. She was relieved to find Jack safe and unharmed and beamed at him. He grinned back cheekily and winked at her.
"Can't you track her down?"
"She must still be inside the games. All the rooms are shielded."
"If I can just get inside this computer...she's got to be here somewhere."
"Well, you'd better hurry up. These games don't have a happy ending." Jack pointed out helpfully.
But the Doctor was in no mood to deal with Jack. One of his companions was in trouble and it was his fault. "Do you think I don't know that?!" He spat angrily.
Jack took his outburst with ease and handed him his wrist computer. "There you go, patch that in. It's programmed to find her." Piper stared at him at his words. He noticed this and shrugged. "It's programmed to find you too."
"Good to know."
"Hey, there," he greeted, just noticing Lynda for the first time.
"Hello."
"Captain Jack Harkness."
"Lynda Moss."
"Nice to meet you, Lynda Moss."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Do you mind flirting outside?" Piper found it funny that he didn't even have too look up to know Jack was flirting.
"I was just saying hello!" Jack cried indignantly.
"For you, that's flirting." Piper nodded almost sympathetically at him.
"I'm not complaining."
"Mochas gracias."
"It's not compatible. This stupid system doesn't make sense. This place should be a basic broadcaster, but the systems are twice as complicated. It's more than just television. This station's transmitting something else."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. This whole Bad Wolf thing's tied up with me. Someone's manipulated my entire life. It's some sort of trap and Rose is stuck inside it."
Rose, in geography, the Grand Central Ravine is named after which ancient British city?
Rose was scared but tried to focus on the questions being thrown at her. "Is it...York?"
No, the correct answer is Sheffield.
Damnit!
"Found her! Floor 407."
"Oh, my God, she's with the Anne Droid. You've got to get her out of there!" Lynda told them frantically.
They ran to the lift in fear and horror. Unfortunately, there were different rooms on the floor and they couldn't tell which one Rose was in. "Game Room Six, which one is it?!"
"Over here!" Lynda pointed, running over.
Jack aimed his gun at the door. "Stand back, let me blast it open."
But the Doctor was already working on the door. "You can't. it's made of Hydra combination."
Rose, in history, which Icelandic city hosted Murder Spree Twenty?
Rose deliberately took her time answering the last question. She felt like squirming under the beady eyes of the android as it stared at her, waiting for her answer. In the end, she had no choice but to answer. She just prayed it was the right one. "Reykjavik?"
No, the correct answer is Pola Ventura.
An ecstatic smile spread across Roderick's face and he laughed gloatingly at Rose without a trace of pity or remorse. "Oh, my God! I've done it! You've lost!"
But Rose wasn't listening. She was busy staring at the android who was still talking. "But I'm not meant to be here. I need to find the Doctor, he's got to be here somewhere he's always here! He wouldn't just leave me!" She was really freaking out now, there was no sign of the Doctor and she needed help. Where the hell was he?!
Rodrick, you are the strongest link, you will be transported home with one thousand six hundred credits.
"Oh, thank you, thank you so much."
Rose leaned over the podium. "This game is illegal. I'm telling you to stop!" She shouted at the woman in charge of the game.
"Rose!" Rose turned to see the Doctor and Piper standing by the door. "Stop this game!" The Doctor ordered, the others following behind.
Rose, you leave this life with nothing.
"Stop this game!"
"I order you to stop this game!"
"Rose!" Piper shouted, running towards the blonde.
You are the weakest link. Goodbye.
"Look out for the Anne Droid, it's armed!" She ran towards them but just as she was about to reach them, a beam shot out and hit her in the back. She was gone in a puff of smoke and a scream, leaving a small pile of dust on the ground. Jack ran over to the woman in charge of the game and started shouting. The Doctor and Piper weren't listening as they kneeled by Rose's ashes, in shock and completely devastated.
"Rose," Piper whispered brokenly. The rest was a blur as they were taken away. They remained silent to the guards questions, refusing to speak to them. Their minds on the loss of one of their own.
"Can you tell us the purpose of this device, sir? Can you tell us how you got on board?"
"Just leave him alone." Lynda told him bravely.
Her grabbed her by her chin. "I'm asking him. Sir? Can you tell us who you are? You will be taken from this place to the Lunar Penal Colony, there to be held without trial. You may not appeal against this sentence. Is that understood?"
They waited until another guard began to unlock the door to the cage, the Doctor turning to Jack. "Let's do it." Jack jumped up and attacked the guards, the Doctor waiting patiently behind him along with the girls. He stepped out of the cage and threw the guard running towards him into the wall before they reclaimed their weapons and headed to the lift. "Floor 500." The Doctor ordered, a dark look on his face as the doors closed. He released the safty on the gun and held it so it was pointing at the door, ready to use if necessary.
The doors opened with a ping and they all stormed out. "Okay, move away from the desk! Nobody try anything clever. Everybody clear. Stand to the side and stay there," Jack commanded briskly.
The Doctor charged over to a woman connected to wires. "Who's in charge of this place?"
"Nineteen, eighteen..."
"This Satellite's more than a Game Station."
"Seventy nine, eighty..."
"Who killed Rose Tyler?"
"All staff are reminded that solar flares-"
"I want an answer!"
"She can't reply." He turned to the man who had spoken. "Don't shoot!"
The Doctor rolled his eyes in irritation. "Oh, don't be so thick. Like I was ever going to shoot." He threw the gun at the man who caught it in surprise. "Captain, we've got more guards on the way up. Secure the exits."
"Yes, sir."
"You. What were you saying?"
"But I've got your gun."
"Okay, so shoot me. Why can't she answer?"
"She's er...can I put this down?"
"If you want. Just hurry up."
He put the gun down and straightened himself. "Thanks. Sorry. The Controller is linked to the transmissions. The entire output goes through her brain. You're not a member of staff so she doesn't recognize your existence." That made sense.
"What's her name?"
"I don't know. She was installed when she was 5 years old. That's the only life she's ever known."
"Door's sealed. We should be safe for about ten minutes," Jack yelled.
"Keep an eye on them."
"But that stuff you were saying about something going on with the Game Station. I think you're right. I've kept a log. Unauthorized transmats, encrypted signals, it's been going on for years."
"Show me."
Jack placed his hand on the door. He jumped when a voice called out to him, "You're not allowed in there! Archive Six is out of bounds!"
Jack held up two guns. "Do I look like an out-of-bounds sort of guy?" He didn't wait for an answer. The door opened to reveal the TARDIS. He turned the key in the lock and the door opened and he walked in. He stopped and paused by the handrail. He stared at one of Rose's jackets that had been left there, placing his hand on it briefly before moving on to the console. He checked the monitor and leaned closer to it, puzzled. "What the hell...?"
Outside, Piper watched as the Female Programmer argued with the Doctor. "If you're not holding us hostage, then open the door and let us out. The staff are terrified." Any other time and she would have found it funny but with the way he was and Rose's death, it wasn't the right time.
"That's the same staff who execute hundreds of contestants every day," he pointed out harshly.
That's not our fault, we're just doing our jobs." Piper scowled at her. Not their fault? They only set up the games that kill people and that happened to kill the one person she considered a sister and she couldn't even take responsibility? Typical.
"And with that sentence, you just lost the right to even talk to me. Now back off." His voice rose as he snarled at the woman. Both her and Lynda flinched. They all looked up as the power suddenly dropped
"That's just the solar flares. They interfere with the broadcast signal, so this place automatically powers down. Planet Earth gets a few repeats. It's all quite normal."
"Doctor..."
The woman who'd been arguing with the Doctor previously, had her attention on the Controller. "Doctor?"
"Whatever it is, you can wait," he told her shortly. His temper may have faded a little but that didn't mean he wanted to talk to her after what she said.
"I think she wants you."
"Doctor? Doctor? Where's the Doctor?"
He hurried over to her. "I'm here."
She shook her head. "Can't see. I'm blind. So blind. All my life, blind. All I can see is numbers, but I saw you."
"What do you want?"
"Solar flares hiding me. They can't hear me. My masters, they always listen but they can't hear me now the sun, the sun is so bright."
"Who are your masters?"
"They wired my head. The name's forbidden. They control my thoughts. My masters. My masters, I had to be careful. They monitor transmissions but they don't watch the programmed. I could hide you inside the games. Knew that you would find me."
"My friend died inside your games." He snapped.
"Doesn't matter."
"Don't you dare tell me that!" He fumed.
"They've been hiding. My masters hiding in the dark space, watching and shaping the Earth so, so, so many years. Always been there, guiding humanity, hundreds and hundred of years."
"Who are they?"
"They wait and plan and grow in numbers. They're strong now. So strong, my masters."
Having seen her best friend die as well as other innocents along the way, Piper's patience ran out and she stormed up to the controller, a hard expression on her face as she stared the woman down. There was no forgiveness in her eyes whatsoever and her anger couldn't be restrained. She shook in rage. "Oh, just tell us who the hell they are for God's sake!"
"But speak of you, my masters, they fear the Doctor."
"Tell me, who are they?"
The power came back on and she went back to mumbling to herself. "Twenty one, twenty two..."
"When's the next solar flare?"
"Two years time."
"Fat lot of good that is."
"Found the Tardis," Jack called, running into the room.
"We're not leaving now."
"No, but the Tardis worked it out. You'll want to watch this. Lynda, could you stand over there for me please?"
"I just want to go home."
Jack faked a smile. "It'll only take a second. Could you stand in that spot, quick as you can. Everybody watching? Okay. three, two, one." A beam shot down from directly above her and she disappeared, leaving everyone stunned.
"But you killed her!" The Doctor's blue eyes were wide as he turned on Jack.
"Oh, do you think?" He pressed a button and she reappeared next to the Doctor, who stared at her.
"Blimey, my head. What the hell was that?"
"It's a transmat beam. Not a disintegrator, a secondary transmat system. People don't get killed in the games. they get transported across space. Doctor, Rose is still alive!" A small smile crept on Piper's face and she happily embraced both men when they turned to pull her in. Rose was still alive...
The Doctor pulled away and immediately set to work. The priority was finding Rose safe and alive then dealing with whatever else was going on there. "She's out there somewhere."
"Doctor. Coordinates five point six point one-"
"Don't, the solar flare's gone. They'll hear you," he warned.
She ignored him and kept going. "Point four three four. No, my masters, no! I defy you! Stigma seven seven-" She screamed as she was taken in a puff of smoke.
"They took her."
"Look, use that. It might contain the final numbers. I kept a log of all the unscheduled transmissions."
"Nice, Thanks. Captain Jack Harkness, by the way."
"I'm Davitch Pavale," the male controller introduced himself, shaking Jack's hand.
"Nice to meet you, Davitch Pavale."
"Not now, Jack." Piper scolded.
"Are you saying this entire set up's been a disguise all along?"
"Going way back. Installing the Jagrafess a hundred years ago. Someone's been playing a long game, controlling the human race from behind the scenes for generations."
"The transmat delivers to that point, right on the edge of the solar system."
"There's nothing there."
"It looks like nothing because that's what this satellite does. Underneath the transmission there's another signal."
"Doing what?"
"Hiding whatever's out there. Hiding it from sonar, radar, scanner. There's something sitting right on top of planet Earth, but it's completely invisible. If I cancel the signal..." As soon as he looked back at the screen, he froze in disbelief. It can't be...
"That's impossible. I know those ships. They were destroyed."
"Obviously, they survived."
"Who did? Who are they?"
"Doctor?" Piper called tentively. The look on his face made her uncomfortable.
"Two hundred ships. More than two thousand on board each one. That's just about half a million of them."
"Half a million what?"
"Daleks," he whispered.
Piper paled. "Oh my God."
A large screen appeared before them. The Doctor grabbed the lapels of his jacked and pulled his coat down, a dark look on his face.
"I will talk to the Doctor."
"Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello!" He waved in fake cheerfulness. The fake smile faded as the Dalek continued.
"The Dalek stratagem nears completion. The fleet is almost ready. You will not intervene."
"Oh, really? Why's that, then?"
"We have your associate. You will obey or She will be exterminated."
No one was expecting the Doctor to say what he said next. "No." Everyone's head snapped to look at him. Piper could see Rose gaping at him.
"Explain yourself."
"I said no."
"What is the meaning of this negative?"
"It means no."
"But she will be destroyed." Piper's hands clenched and she forced herself to take a deep breath. The Doctor wouldn't let anything happen to Rose or to any of them. Rose would be safe.
The Doctor threw himself off of his seat angrily. "No! Because this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to rescue her. I'm going to save Rose Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet. And then I'm going to save the Earth and then, just to finish off, I'm going to wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!"
"But you have no weapons, no defences, no plan."
"Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death. Rose?"
"Yes, Doctor?" Rose called eagerly.
"I'm coming to get you." He ended the transmittion with his sonic screwdriver.
"The Doctor is initiating hostile action."
"The stratagem must advance. Begin the invasion of Earth!"
"The Doctor will be exterminated!"
"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"
Rose moved out of the way but couldn't go too far. She was terrified and being forced to listen to the harsh metallic sounds of the Daleks screeching 'exterminate' and she prayed everything would be okay.